Coal-rich Shanxi province has developed technologies that can turn waste from mining and processing into construction materials or use it to improve the quality of other goods.

In Shuozhou, a city in the province mainly dependent on coal for power generation, the local government has increased the processing and recycling of solid waste from mining and industrial production.

"We can generate ultrafine powder from slag and completely recycle the slag from Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group," said Wang Qingjie, head of the environmental protection bureau from the major iron company.

Slag, a byproduct of metal smelting, can be crushed and mixed into cement to improve its quality, he said. Slag can also be processed into soluble silicon and calcium, and then mixed with other components to make fertilizer.

In search of innovation, Shuozhou has expanded its cooperation with major domestic universities.

Wang Xidong, a professor of energy and resources engineering at Peking University, heads a research and development center in Shuozhou that incorporates leading technologies into processing practices.

At the center, the researchers processed solid waste into such items as pottery, firefighting clothing and packaging.

"Many of the technologies have been used commercially, but they have matured and attracted many foreign experts," he said.

In Shuozhou, an international forum focused on solid waste processing has been held regularly. It attracts experts and companies that exchange technologies and pursue cooperation opportunities.

"What we have is world-leading," Wang said.

At least 145 companies have been involved in processing solid waste, and the province will invest 1 billion yuan ($150 million) to promote innovation and advanced technology development, a statement from the provincial government said.